Brookings Institution Board of Trustees Elects New Board Co-Chairs

Glenn Hutchins and Suzanne Nora Johnson were elected Co-Chairs of the Brookings Board of Trustees today, succeeding John L. Thornton. Thornton, who has served in this role since 2003, will remain a member of the Brookings Board as Chair Emeritus. Prior to today’s election, Hutchins and Nora Johnson were Vice Chairs of the Brookings Board, positions they have held since 2011. Hutchins also successfully led Brookings’s Second Century Campaign.

Nora Johnson said, “Brookings has played a critical role in American civic life for more than a century; the current political, socioeconomic and technological challenges faced by our country make the work of Brookings more essential than ever. Glenn and I look forward to working with John Allen and the Board to support Brookings scholars.” Hutchins added that ““I look forward to partnering with Suzanne in service to our Board and scholars and, in particular, working to ensure that Brookings retains and extends its role as the world’s preeminent think tank.” Hutchins and Nora Johnson added, “The entire Brookings community admires and appreciates John Thornton’s many contributions and looks forward to working with him in his new role as Chair Emeritus.”

“The Board has made an outstanding decision in electing Glenn and Suzanne as Co-Chairs,” Brookings President John R. Allen said. “Both are proven leaders with long track records of success in business and philanthropy. Their complementary strengths will be a tremendous asset to Brookings as we modernize the Institution into a truly 21st century think tank that can respond nimbly in a fast-paced world. With Glenn and Suzanne’s leadership and support, our experts will achieve tangible impact through rigorous policy analysis and practical recommendations, both for solving today’s biggest problems and advising on the longer-term trends that will shape how we live and work in the future.” Allen added, “We’re deeply grateful for John’s service as Chair of the Board for more than 15 years, and thankful that he will continue to help guide the Institution via his new role as Chair Emeritus.”

“It has been a privilege to lead the Brookings Board of Trustees for the last 15 years,” John Thornton said. “We need clear, independent thinking that focuses on practical solutions, and the policy ideas that Brookings scholars bring to the public debate make a vital contribution to sound governance. Glenn and Suzanne take on their new roles at a time when this work is more important than ever. Under their capable leadership, Brookings will continue to rise to the challenges we face.”

Glenn Hutchins is Chairman of North Island and a co-founder of Silver Lake. He is a Director of AT&T and of Virtu Financial, a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Vice Chairman of the Economic Club of New York; a board member of the Obama Foundation and a member of the Executive Committee of the New York Presbyterian Hospital. He is part-owner and member of the Executive Committee of the Boston Celtics basketball team. Hutchins served as a co-chairman of Harvard University’s capital campaign. He is also a board member of the Center for American Progress as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Previously, Hutchins served President Clinton in both the transition and the White House as a special advisor on economic and health-care policy. He was also previously Chairman of the Board of SunGard Data Systems, Inc. and Instinet, Inc. and a Director of Nasdaq, Inc.

Suzanne Nora Johnson is former Vice Chairman of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. She currently serves on the boards of American International Group, Inc., Intuit Inc, Pfizer Inc., and Visa Inc. Nora Johnson also serves as Co-Chair of the Board of the Carnegie Institution for Science and serves on the boards of the Broad Foundation, the Markle Foundation, and the University of Southern California. Nora Johnson is a member of the Global Agenda Council for the Future of Financial and Monetary Systems for the World Economic Forum.

John Thornton is Executive Chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation. He is also a Professor and Director of the Global Leadership Program at the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing and Chairman Emeritus of the Brookings Board of Trustees. He is Co-Chair of the Asia Society. Thornton retired in 2003 as President and a member of the board of the Goldman Sachs Group. He was Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management from 2010 to 2013. Thornton is a director of the Ford Motor Company. He is also Non-Executive Chairman of PineBridge Investments and Chairman of Silk Road Finance Corporation. He is a Trustee, Advisory Board Member or Member of the African Leadership Academy, China Foreign Affairs University, China Investment Corporation (CIC), Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), Council on Foreign Relations, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, McKinsey Advisory Council, Morehouse College and Schwarzman Scholars.

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1916, its mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level. Brookings comprises five research programs focused on domestic and global economics, foreign policy, international development, governance, and metropolitan policy. It is led by retired Marine Corps General John R. Allen and governed by a 57-member Board of Trustees.

About Brookings

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public.